Trending! Sweet Heat for Your Sweetheart

This Valentine’s Day, check out some of the latest offerings to sport the sweet-hot flavor combo.

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Move over, sweet and salty; hello, sweet heat. This flavor combo that gives a subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) burn to sweet foods has been steadily gaining traction. And it’s moving far beyond chile chocolate and jalapeno margaritas. This Valentine’s Day, check out some of the latest offerings to sport the sweet-hot flavor combo.

Here’s where we’ve spotted it:

Other things to look out for in 2016? More specific varieties of peppers, from ají amarillo and ancho to guajillo and ghost pepper, as well as chefs showcasing traditionally sweet-hot ethnic foods, including harissa, jerk, Korean BBQ, and foods from Asian and Indian cuisines. We read in Food Business News that we should be on the lookout for these flavor combinations:

  • Wasabi and maple
  • Ginger, black peppercorn and pistachio
  • Chinese 5-spice and almond caramels
  • Watermelon and black peppercorn
  • Aleppo, pomegranate molasses and vanilla
  • Ají panca, toasted sesame and dark chocolate
  • Pineapple jalapeno upside-down cake
We cannot WAIT!

Kerri-Ann is a registered dietitian who writes on food and health trends. Find more of her work at kerriannjennings.com or follow her on Twitter @kerriannrd or Facebook.

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